Time for Change
by Casey Cresswell
Summary: A Lady has shown up at Locksley Manor only to meet the wrong Lord and be invited to Nottingham where Marian still resides. What was is she doing there and how does she know the outlaw? All in good time, my dear. This starts in the middle of season 2.
1. Meeting Gisborne

"I'm here to speak to the Lord of Locksley. Is he at home?" The woman seated on the horse spoke clearly, a slight accent marking where she had been the last four years. Her guard stayed alert, though they seemed to have an air of excitement about them that relaxed their attention.

"Lord Gisborne is at Nottingham Castle, but is due back within the hour," a barked reply came from inside a heavy pointed helmet. His lax ideas of protocol no doubt a result of ignorance at recognizing nobility.

Elisa had heard Nottinghamshire was beginning to sink into corruption. The reports had surprised her, though, and so had the name. "Gisborne?" she asked, the name sounding familiar, but not the Lord she was looking for.

"He's the new Lord 'round here, lass. Been living in Locksley for a few years. Were you hoping to find Robin Hood?" The lack of respect was starting to grate on her nerves, despite the years she had lived without the formalities.

"You'll address me as 'Lady', and since you have not invited me in to wait for your Lord Gisborne, I'll have to take the liberty myself and report you later." Her sharp words were rewarded with the uncomfortable shifting of the man on foot before the five large horses and their riders.

"Lady, I'll show you in and let the household know you've arrived," he was humbled into submission, seeming embarrassed about his previous blunder. "Who should I tell the Lord is here?"

"You may tell him that Lady Elisa is here." As if on a cue, her guards dismounted and helped her out of the saddle. The impatience that flashed across her face betrayed that she would rather dismount without their help. She stepped away from her guard and smoothed the heavy blue fabric of her traveling gown, straightening the only part of her appearance that was amiss.

The manor guard gave quick instructions to a curious groom to take the horses to the stable before leading the Lady Elisa into the hall to wait for his master. After the Lady's horse recoiled from a groom, she motioned for one of her guards to take care of the great black animal. The tallest guard, his red hair sticking jauntily out from underneath his cap, ducked out of the doorway and quickly quieted the balking horse.

"Just wait here, Lady, Gisborne should be home soon." He seemed on edge, as though this kind of behavior would be repudiated by his master.

"Very soon," the gruff voice in the doorway made small group turn to see who it was, the man's cringe made it obvious this was his master.

Elisa noted with some measure of satisfaction that the only person to show any emotion other than pleasant surprise was the ignorant guard assigned to the castle. Her own men had dispersed into the room so they were present, but unobtrusive. They were trained well in England and had been selected because of their service for the King in the Holy Land.

She studied the man standing in the doorframe quickly. Sharp facial features were made sharper by the contrast between pitch black hair and colorless skin. The black clothing only added to the contrast and made him into a more attention demanding figure.  
The man who had shown them in spent only a few seconds shifting awkwardly before remembering how he was expected to act.

"Sir, this is Lady Elisa. She came looking for the Lord of Locksley." There was a hint of laughter in his small voice, something the Lady pursed her lips at.

"Lady Elisa, I am the Lord of Locksley," his voice was certain, but there was some flicker of emotion that she caught, making her believe there was some dispute over this. "I'm Guy of Gisborne. I apologize if you were expecting someone else, the manor has recently come into my possession."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir Guy. You are right though, I was hoping to find Robin of Locksley. He is a friend of mine that I wished to meet again before winter sets in." She watched as her polite words slowly made him more agitated. Then hoped to make amends where she had obviously offended, "I'm sorry if I intruded. Please forgive me, I'll leave if it pleases you."

"No, don't leave. You should know, though, that Robin has turned to a life of crime. Apparently his time in the Holy Land affected him badly. He lives in Sherwood Forest now with some other outlaws," his tone gave away his personal disdain for the man, not a mere nuisance as he tried to pass it off.

"Oh dear, that's unfortunate. I had heard of outlaws, but I never imagined Robin would be involved," in fact, Elisa had heard such reports, and chosen to ignore them. Believing that her friend had retained his home and title and the claim of the peasants were not accurate- however correct the judge of his character it was.

"Unfortunately I am only here to retrieve a small contingent of men," Elisa could not have missed his greedy look toward her own guards if she was blind. "You should accompany us and visit the Sheriff in Nottingham. He would be very interested in any stories you have of Robin Hood."

"Hood?" Elisa's negative reaction to his attitude towards her guards changed radically when she heard the nickname. Her friend from the Holy Land was always Robin Locksley, never Robin Hood.

"Just a nickname he gained when he came back to the area and started his life of crime, nothing to be worried about."  
"We're ready to go back," the man who next entered was far less intimidating than the tall Gisborne, and smiled warmly when he saw Elisa. "Who's this, then? Friend of yours?"

Elisa smiled back and replied "Newly made friend," at the same time Guy began, "That'll be all, Allan. You can return to the stables and make sure Lady Elisa's horse is saddled."

A slightly arrogant smile played across Elisa's face at the thought of this Allan being sent to saddle her horse, "Oh, I doubt you could do it. I've sent a man out with him, Peter will make sure he's ready."

"You don't think I can handle your horse?" Allan said, obviously amused by her statement.

"Oh, I'm sure you're a wonderful horseman. It's just that Morisco doesn't allow strangers to handle him. He's been trained to be untrustworthy of people until I teach him otherwise," her mind flipped quickly through the years when that exact trait had safeguarded her life, it was not a thing she ever regretted teaching him.

The smug look didn't leave his face, but his tone conceded, "Alrigh-"

"That's enough from you, Allan," Guy cut him off before he could say more, "She told you your services were not needed, so go and ready my horse."

The man nodded and left, his carefree countenance subservient to the Lord. Not before he sent Elisa a small smile to show he was not completely humbled.

"You're household does not keep a secure sense of decorum, I find. Though I suspect that only happens because you are away being busy and important most of the day."

"I will not take kindly to those who insult me, Lady Elisa," Guy soured at her statement, taking it in the worst way possible.

"I apologize if I offended you, Sir Guy. I meant that to compliment your value to the Sheriff, not to insult how you keep house. I imagine it's difficult without a wife to keep them in order. After all, it is not a man's work to keep the house." Elisa's intelligent explanation soothed whatever nerves she had aggravated with her honeyed slight towards Guy.

If she didn't soothe his nerves, he was left without any way of taking offense that didn't seem petty. It was one of Elisa's gifts to talk her way out of the most awkward of situations.

Guy merely grunted his approval of her explanation and motioned for her to follow him into the yard. His actions spurred significant looks between Elisa and her guard, what kind of man was this to leave the room before a lady? They certainly were lacking in the traditional English manners. Still, Elisa followed him through the doorway with her three remaining guards behind.

Outside, Guy and his men were already mounted, ignoring Elisa's rank once more. She did little to reveal her irritation, though she could not contain her frown or stop herself from speaking quietly to her guards, "Tch, no manners. We must be sure to teach them." Elisa made this remark mostly to Phillip, who she knew would be the first to take action against such an improper display. And in return, he trailed her to where Peter held her horse and helped her into the saddle. Phillip gave her a familiar smile when he tucked her booted foot into the stirrup, assuring her that he was past the affront and appreciated her concern.

"Are you ready to go yet, Lady?" The impatience in Guy's voice was obvious. What he was so anxious about, there was no way to be sure.

"Of course, Sir Guy. Is there any reason for your eagerness to leave? Is there some reason that I should be eager as well?" Elisa understood that he might not speak the truth, but if he didn't respond at all, the impertinence would be reported to the Sheriff and anyone else Elisa might feel the need to write to.

"Not for any particular reason. Though I admit, taking you to meet the sheriff is something I am looking forward to." His smile seemed to be hiding something, though the smile of his man, Alan, was more reassuring.

"Shall we depart then?" Her question had served its purpose as a distraction, during his answer Elisa's guards had time to settle into their saddles and were more ready to leave than Gisborne's tired men.

* * *

_Of course I don't own Robin Hood or any of the characters. Elisa is a creation of my imagination and I hope any readers will stick with this story, I'll start building up to more action in the next few chapters. I just like to establish the characters before throwing them into the crazy situations Robin creates in Nottinghamshire. (: Please review, even saying that you read it and found it not to your liking would be something, though I'd ask you not to tear it apart. Bear in mind that it _is_ fanfiction._


	2. Nottingham

The road to Nottingham was quiet, the only conversation being sustained between the newcomers. Elisa and her men did their best to keep their voices down and spare themselves the curious looks of the soldiers around them. It had been a strange ride, especially when they were in the forest. Peter was the first to mention feeling watched, and soon everyone of Elisa's party was in agreement. The outlaws knew of their arrival.

The walls of Nottingham were intimidating, made more so by the feeling of threat that the city gave off. "So this is it. The Nottingham Robin spoke so proudly of." For some reason, Elisa imagined it was not the same as what Robin knew, but she could not be sure.

"What was that Lady Elisa?" The gruff voice so close made Elisa flinch. She had not expected him to pull his horse up next to him, and a general movement behind her let her know her guard had not expected it either.

"I was just admiring the city," she lied. It was hard to find anything to admire about the gray walls and beggars around the gates. It was pitiful-looking after the grandeur of Arabic architecture. "Shall we?" she asked, motioning to the gates lazily, "I would so like to meet your Sheriff." Another lie, Elisa heard much about the Sheriff in Nottingham and the questionable character of the man. It was curious to hear such rumors, because the Sheriff of Nottingham she met at Court some years back was a kind old man.

Guy made a sort of choking noise that Elisa assumed was laughter. He knew no one who ever heard the rumors about the Sheriff would ever desire to meet him, but they proceeded through the gates without more discussion.

Elisa could feel the people of Nottingham stare at her. She had never liked being watched, but she presumed the attention was inevitable as the town seemed hungry for gossip. People began to stare more and more openly at the woman riding beside Guy of Gisborne who brought her own guard. Some sticky-fingered men in the crowd were sizing up her wealth and comparing it to the trouble they would have to go through in order to steal it for themselves. A pair of hooded outlaws had followed them within the walls with the hopes of beating those petty thieves to the money or clothing they guessed was a part of her baggage.

All were surprised at the small amount she carried. Even her guards were packed lightly. It was possible they were not staying very long, or she was carrying enough money to purchase new clothing. What each of the thieves wished was true though, was that any luggage was coming behind her where it would be easily captured.

The lady had been warned about the outlaws and had chosen this particular arrangement to confuse them. Even if their ringleader _was_ Robin of Locksley, a man she trusted, she wasn't going to risk an attack when she could help it. She wasn't necessarily afraid of them, but her mind was always more partial to trickery and sly escapes than to outright fighting. Elisa could fight and was capable of doing a fair amount of damage if it came to that, but she would rather use her quick wit and quicker horse to remove herself from danger. In essence, she had a highly developed sense of self-preservation.

Elisa did not anticipate any trouble in the town, though. Her small guard would be more than capable of protecting herself and her limited luggage. They moved smoothly through the people, but because most seemed scared of being pushed aside by Gisborne's men. Those who weren't moving out of fear were moving out of some sense of respect that the Lady demanded. She looked so important and untouchable on her great black steed, somehow not looking the menacing part that Guy of Gisborne did on his own dark horse.

He seemed to notice this as well as his gaze lingered on the fine, strong lines of her horse. He had seen the same breed before, but few ever were brought to England and it made him wonder about how Elisa managed to acquire such a beautiful creature.

It was obvious to Elisa and her men that everyone was in awe of their arrival. It was not a dreary march of stuffy people and heavily guarded goods through the square only to be cut off from the peasantry and their market by heavy gates and cold stares. Elisa kept a kind look on her face and spoke quietly to her guards as if she was admiring the structure of some stall or asking one to fetch her some trinket that caught her eye.

In all actuality, Elisa was instructing her men to keep an eye out for any weaknesses in the structure of the keep. She doubted they would need her reminder, each was a brilliant soldier who had a mind to size up every structure for defense or attack. Phillip gave her a cocky grin and assured her there was nothing to fear in peaceful old England.

"Of course there isn't," she replied in an undertone, "Just habit, I suppose." None of them would need to be reminded of how often Elisa asked to know the quickest way out of any situation. A more foolish man would call her a coward.

Not that any such foolish man would be left in good condition by any means. None of her guard took well to Elisa being called a coward, her least of all. No one here had yet, though, and if she employed her knowledge of human nature she wouldn't have to suffer such indecencies.

"There is a bit of the wall crumbling somewhere though. This timber is mainly used for scaffolding. Either the wall is crumbling, or this sheriff is hanging quite a few people." It was Robert who made this observation, his first since they had arrived at Locksley. His tone betrayed his disdain at the idea of the Sheriff needing such a large pile of wood for all his hangings. Granted, none of the others had noticed the stack pushed right up against the walls, it was a detail that only Robert understood from his childhood as an apprentice to a carpenter in a city of about the same size.

"Brilliant," Elisa breathed, not sure herself if she was more inclined to believe in the wall being weak or the Sheriff being cruel. Something wasn't right here. Again she recalled the man who was only a few years her father's junior with a daughter about Elisa's age, it couldn't be him that was so cruel.

"My Lady," Guy said as they entered the inner bailey and stopped just before the stairs, "Your men can take the horses with ours to the stable and I'll show you inside." He seemed excited in a dark sort of way making Elisa wary of him. That look of anticipation was one common at Court.

His expression faded when her men did nothing but dismount as the other soldiers filed around them. One handed his reins to his comrade and helped Elisa down, again the look of impatience flashed on her features. "Peter and David can take them. I'd like to keep at least a pair of my men with me." Elisa knew Guy couldn't refuse without being incredibly rude.

"Very well, come along then," it made no difference to Guy if she had her guards with her, if she felt like she needed protection, she would have it. He started up the steps but stopped when he realized he wasn't being followed. Guy turned around to see what was wrong and saw that Elisa had a hand on her guard's arm, looking at Guy as if she would like to scold him again. "Is something the matter?"

She narrowed her eyes at his flippancy, but otherwise lost her interest in his sudden lack of respect and shook her head, "Nothing, of course. Again I find the lack of a woman's touch has affected Nottingham." Elisa thought she saw him smirk at that comment and wondered over that fact for a moment before releasing Phillip's arm, his tendencies to take offense would have to be relaxed here, she suspected. "Perhaps I could meet the Sheriff and then retire to a guest room to rest? I have been journeying a long while and am in great need of a respite."

Guy nodded quickly before continuing up the steps, this time waiting for Elisa to walk to his side. They walked through the corridors, Guy just ahead of Elisa with her two remaining guards following them both. She began to create a map in her mind as Guy led her to what she could only assume was the hall. Spacious, and tall enough to be made into two floors. Not disappointing in the least, though it could do with more color. The only vibrancy in the room was a woman's turquoise dress. The woman seemed unhappy about something, unhappy and annoyed, though she was trying to cover up her feelings.

'_Amateur,'_ Elisa thought. Obviously no visit to Court in the later years of her life, though she suspected this was an old acquaintance of hers. An easy smile crossed her face as Elisa noticed the shorter, slightly balding man seated in the large chair. It was not a good choice for him, she critiqued behind her grin, it made him look even more small- like a child.

"Ah, Gisborne, you've finally returned, your leper friend has just gotten on my last nerve, do show her out." He must not have noticed Elisa file into the room behind Guy, she admitted to herself that she was not dressed as brightly as the other woman in the room and resolved to make more of an impression.

To make an impression here, she surmised, one would have to act as though they didn't have emotion. Certainly if this man who was so obviously in charge was insulting people so blatantly, there was some level of secrecy and disconnect that had to be maintained. She cleared her throat quietly, reminding Guy of her presence as if he too had been ignoring her. He certainly seemed to be fixated on something else in the room for the moment, from the angle of his head and the rigid set of his shoulders, Elisa could guess he was glaring at someone.

"Sheriff, I have brought you a guest," Guy said, glossing over the request by the little man to remove the woman. He must have imagined that Elisa's introduction was more important, "She came looking for Robin Hood at my manor. She said she was a friend of his."

* * *

_So this one ends a little abruptly, but it will continue right where this leaves off in the next chapter. ^^ I just wanted to keep the chapters at about the same length. We'll get to some wonderful interactions between Elisa and the Sheriff as well as Marian. Reviews are always loved! Thanks to Novindalf for reviewing last time. It's good to know there are readers! _


	3. Sheriff's Impression

Two new sets of eyes were trained on Elisa now. Both would see exactly what she wanted them to see: a Lady of some standing, impressive but humble, a little tired but strong, and completely sure of herself. The small man Guy referred to as Sheriff glanced at her guards and back to her while she fancied that if he stood up he would just be able to see over her shoulder. The other woman, however, was looking at Elisa with utter dislike and a trace of worry.

Elisa was surrounded by amateurs. She could guess the thoughts of everyone in the room from their expressions. Guy was pleased he could surprise the two, the little man was trying to figure out who she was from her attire and guard- and was failing- and the woman was not used to having female company and was unwelcoming and possibly slightly jealous.

It was unsettling to hear this short man be called Sheriff, though. The kind man she remembered was not present and Elisa worried silently what had happened to him. Still, it would be difficult for anyone to understand her thoughts or emotions, because her natural reaction was to think first and feel later. Such a trait was helpful in many respects, and was developed through her years at court.

"Madam, would love to chit chat, but the truth is I don't have all day, so please, let's get the introductions out of the way." The Sheriff betrayed his emotions with the impatience in his voice. Elisa smiled coolly to herself, he would be disappointed if he expected her to obey him so quickly. She enjoyed annoying him as she used to annoy her older brother. Some habits were hard to break.

"Sheriff," Guy cut in, ruining Elisa's fun, "This is Lady Elisa. Lady, this is Vaisey, Sheriff of Nottingham." Gisborne gestured to the woman next, "And this is Marian, our feminine touch at the castle."

Elisa bowed her head as she curtsied so no one could see her roll her eyes at him. The guards who stood in the shadows shared a significant look for they knew the meaning behind Elisa's movement aside from the general courtesy.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sheriff Vaisey and Lady Marian," she said, rising back to her full height. "I must thank you for your hospitality as I expect to stay here for a short while." The statement was slightly rude and Elisa knew she might ruffle some feathers with it, but she knew there was no way he could outright refuse her visit.

Still, it would seem that he could try. The Sheriff, with his greedy little eyes fixed on Elisa, spoke with some annoyance in his voice, "Well, my lady, I regret to inform you that we do not take in strange nobility. Especially if they are friends of outlaws currently harassing our shire."

"As I would expect of anyone. And I am sorry to make you take me in on faith, but Prince John could assure you of my station if you only wrote to him," Elisa let her flippancy on the issue shine through the thin- and obviously faked- veil of embarrassment and continued, "If you do send a message to him, I would love to let him know of my return. I have not had the opportunity as of yet."

The mention of John's title worked like the charm it always did. Elisa expected it to have a greater effect on this man after the rumors she heard about his darker ties to the regent while Richard was away. The only visible reaction of the Sheriff's was a narrowing of his eyes, but it was enough for Elisa to know that she would have nothing to worry about. Flaunting her connections was something she only did from necessity and in order to get the Sheriff's respect. It would do her no good to come all this way and be turned away from Nottingham castle. She needed at least to meet Robin before returning home.

"So it seems that you will need a place to stay until I can get a message to our Prince." Vaisey was unhappy with the current situation, but the connection his new guest had to royalty had him worried about offending the crown. He turned to the woman introduced as Lady Marian, "Show her to the guest suite and be a friend to her during her stay. You should find some comfort in the presence of another woman at the castle." He sounded like he had just swallowed a particularly disgusting medicine. "And you," he returned to Elisa, "try not to get in the way while you're here. We weren't ready to be hosting."

Elisa bit back the retort she would have made in the past, knowing she was stepping on toes and her place at this castle was tenuous even with the threat of the Prince's displeasure. She focused her attention on the Lady Marian instead and waited for her to lead the way out of the Hall, hoping the Lady would not insist on remaining any longer.

It seemed with some reluctance that Marian accepted Elisa as a respectable guest, even if she was not a welcomed one. The latter had to take a small step sideways as the former stalked past her and out into the hallway. "Thank you for your hospitality, Sheriff. I do hope to be of service during my stay." Elisa nodded politely and followed the woman into the hallway, her guards slipping out quietly behind her.

"What was all that about, Gisborne? You're bringing another leper into my castle?" The Sheriff was glaring at the door through which she had exited, ticking through the options he had regarding this unwelcome stranger. Options ranging from refusing hospitality to using her connection to the Prince, if there really was such a connection. That would be the first thing he confirmed. He would move on from there.

"If she really is a friend of Robin's, don't you think he'll feel some misplaced sense of responsibility if she should come to some harm in this castle? He's so predictable that it's pathetic." Guy was gruff, not anything new, but he was also defensive. There was no use in bringing the woman to the castle if the Sheriff was going to waste this opportunity to provoke their biggest nuisance.

"If he's so predictable," the Sheriff began, his words becoming more and more punctuated as he went on, "why haven't you caught him yet?" The Sheriff's words had found their mark and Guy clenched his jaw shut in frustration. He wasn't done though, "And your little plan doesn't mean anything if she has the protection of royalty. We cannot afford to anger Prince John."

Gisborne was seething by the time the Sheriff had finished. Not only had his prize for the Sheriff turned into a burden, but he had been whipped into submission again. "What do you want me to do now, sir? Our hands are tied until we know if she's telling the truth about her connection to the Prince. But do you really think she would lie about such a thing?"

"Since when have you become such a conspirator, Gissy? Leave that to me. We will have plenty of opportunities to use her in any outcome," he reassured, leaning back in his chair. "First we'll write to John, make sure she is who she says she is. Then we'll let Robin know of our guest, yes? He probably knows she's here, but we should make sure he knows the Lady Elisa is being _taken care of._"

Gisborne's smile looked feral as he imagined how this person might give him the upper hand with his enemy. It had been some time before Robin Hood had been extorted in such a way, and Guy had missed the tortured look he caught on the outlaw's face when he was deciding what to do about the threat. If this woman was indeed a friend, it could become quite entertaining.

* * *

_I feel like apologizing for taking so long to get another chapter out, but at the same time I feel like apologizing will get any readers thinking that I can consistently turn them out more quickly and that is not always true. So I apologize for the pacing because I'd like to write more immediately, but life gets in the way a lot. Thank you for reading! I'll try my best to get more up before another six months go by. xD_


	4. Tea With Marian

It was a silent walk to the residential part of the castle as Marian continued to betray her irritation with Elisa's presence. The lack of conversation was a welcome reprieve for it gave the newcomers time to mentally map the castle and analyze their surroundings. Peter and David met them at the entrance where they had parted and fell into step as they continued.

A few minutes passed before Marian stopped at a plain wooden door and turned to face Elisa and her guards, "Here is where you will stay, Lady Elisa. Your guards can stay in the barracks with the others if they wish, but we have no place to keep them here."

Elisa did not want this to be the basis of her relationship with Marian, especially after what she had heard from Robin of her, so her next question was asked earnestly, "Would you take some tea with me? I'm new here and would appreciate a friend." The flash of impatience was expected, though it stung no less. What had she done to deserve this sort of treatment?

The promised conversation seemed to make her reconsider though, "I must admit that I am curious to hear how you come to be here. Will you send one of your men to the kitchen or shall I call for a servant?" Marian seemed familiar with the organization of the room, perhaps it was similar to her own, Elisa mused. She gestured to a small table with a pair of chairs set next to a window.

"David?" Elisa turned to the youngest, and most domestic of her guards. He was the most likely of them to take care of the tea. She smiled as he nodded and ducked out the door to search out the kitchen. She glanced at the remaining three who had completed a quick search of the room and were now wishing they were released to find the kitchen. "Go," she said, amused, "Mind the horses and your stomachs. Don't make too many of the maids fall in love with you." There was no need to ask them to take a look around the castle, they knew what was expected of them.

The easy way Elisa spoke to her guards must have made Marian relax somewhat because when they left she had a small smile of her own. "Are they really such heart-breakers? I would not expect such of them with my impression."

"Oh they tell the tale of their time in the Holy Land to any maiden who will listen and they have enough of their own charm to win over any girl who hadn't been by then." She did not miss the way Marian stiffened as she noticed the clue Elisa had intentionally revealed.

She seemed to file it away for later thought and was reminded of other questions. Marian faked nonchalance well, though something must have gotten under her skin to obviously bother her so much. At least it seemed to Elisa that she was going to get to the point now that it was just the two women. "Please excuse my forwardness, but how do you know Robin of Locksley?"

Ah, jealousy. That would explain why Marian was so upset. It should have occurred to Elisa earlier, knowing how Robin spoke of her. Earlier she guessed it was just the presence of another titled female in the castle instead of something far more intriguing. There was no way to know that Marian might feel the same way about him, though, so that possibility had gone unrecognized. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that, though I know it must be a difficult answer to accept." Elisa had no way to know that Marian would respect her confidence and it was more Elisa's secret than it was Robin's. No, that information would only be given when she knew she could trust those who were listening. "And I know helping me is the last thing you want to do after hearing that, but unfortunately that is what I'm going to ask of you. I want you to take me to Robin."

"How do you know that I know where he is?" The shock was plain on Marian's face as it seemed this stranger had guessed what no one in Vaisey's castle knew with any certainty.

A rueful smile crossed Elisa's face. "You just told me. Don't feel embarrassed," she said, noting the look on Marian's face, "it's a clever trick to use if you're ever unsure of your information." She let herself be distracted by the people on the parade ground she could see from the window. Standing, she could probably survey the whole courtyard and the surrounding battlements. "Please," Elisa asked, not looking away from the window, "It's important that I see him."

"No." Elisa was impressed that Marian had actually waited to decline, the tension that request caused was clear. "Just as you refuse to tell me how you know him, I cannot reveal where he is." Marian would not back down from this decision easily, but it hardly deterred Elisa- she enjoyed a challenge.

"If you're worried about my guards attacking him we can leave them behind," Elisa offered, expecting Marian to find a lone woman to be much less intimidating.

It did not seem to matter much, as Marian remained firm. "No. I won't lead you to him so you can-"

A knock on the door cut her off and Elisa called a welcome. David shouldered the door open with a tray in his hands. "The cook requests you send me for food whenever you are hungry, my lady," he said with a cunning grin. He set the tray on the table between the two women and picked up the teapot to fill the cups.

"Leave it to you to charm the cook. Has Phillip gathered his usual crowd of adoring chits?" Elisa was used to each man's priorities. Robert would have sought food, Peter would look after the horses, and Phillip would have smiled at every pretty girl he saw. David would leave this room to find every nook and cranny he could without being noticed.

"He was starting one of his tales as I left," he said with a knowing look to Elisa, "If you'll excuse me." He nodded to them both and left, understanding that he had interrupted and that he was less-than-welcome in this conversation.

"I'm no spy, Lady Marian," Elisa wanted to speak first and attempt to reassure the woman sitting across from her. "You may not believe me, but I'm telling you true when I say I mean no harm to him." She took a sip from the cup David had poured for her, but paid little attention to it.

Something between how she talked with her guards and her continued reassurances seemed to weaken Marian's resolve for her next protest was not as resolute. "I do not want to be the one to bring a danger to him."

Elisa looked into her cup so she would seem more harmless, she was close to getting an escort into Sherwood Forest. There was one more thing she could say to persuade the Lady Marian and she said it in a small voice, "It would be much easier to find them if you came, but I will go alone if you continue to refuse." She hazarded a glance up and was pleased to see the decision being changed. The prospect of not being there when Elisa was found by Robin and his men was enough to motivate Marian to deliver Elisa there herself.

"If I agree to this, and I haven't said I will, you leave your guards here and wear a cloth over your eyes into the forest." Setting the terms seemed to be helpful for her conviction that she was doing the right thing.

"Absurd," Elisa bargained, only allowing herself a small part of the indignation she felt. "None of my men will come along, but I must protest the blindfold. Morisco is not a horse to follow meekly, nor will he be led by anyone he does not know to be trustworthy." The effects of attempting something like that would not be pleasant and would draw a lot of attention.

"Fine." Marian was still not happy about the situation, jealousy was written all over her features, but she had agreed. "Tonight. Meet me in the stables an hour after sunset and I'll take you into the forest. Don't attract attention as you go. If Robin chooses not to show himself, you'll leave him alone." She stood quickly and left, taking her unhappy energy with her. The tea poured for her was untouched, but that was the least of Elisa's thoughts.

_'I wonder why she wants to do it tonight. I know there's to be a full moon which will give us light, but it would make more sense to put it off if she wants to deny me this.' _Elisa would continue to mull over the details after she planned the rest. There was plenty to prepare for. She would not go unarmed, though she doubted Robin would attack, and she would need to tell her men she would be gone for a time tonight.

* * *

_Sorry again for the weirdness of my posting habits. Haha. Can't seem to get these out in a timely fashion, can I? But it is the solid truth that the next chapter (or two as it's starting to seem) will be out in more rapid succession! Huzzah!_


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